Advertising device.



I. L. GRIBBLE G. L. WILLETT.

ADVERTISING DE V IQE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 15- 1911- 1,266,014. Patented May14, 1918.

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' ArromvEr l. L. GRIBBLE & G. L. WILLETT.

ADVERTISING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 15.19n.

1,266,014. Patented May14,1918.

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Application filed January 15, 1917. Serial No. 142,409.

able construction. This board is provided This invention relates to advertising devices, more particularly such as are applicable to sign boards located along public thoroughfares.

Advertisements and sign boards are used for the purpose of conveying information, many expedients being used to attract attention to the subject matter thereof. Pictorial representations are extensively used for the purpose, as they attract attention readily, linger in the memory and when recalled, are apt to be associated with the subject matter which they accompanied. It is recognized that the mysterious or that which excites the curiosity ofthe observer makes the most lasting impression on the mind.

An object of this invention is to provide means for attracting attention to a sign which by the mystery thereof, excites curiosity as to its mode of operation and creates a lasting impression on the memory of an observer.

A further object is to provide means fordisplaying, in connection with a sign, pictorial representations which will fade, vanish, and change characteristics before the eyes of an observer in a mysterious manner. With the foregoing and other objectsin view, the invention consists of the novel construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, wherein is set forth an embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that such changes and modifications may be resorted to 'as come within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings, wherein similar reference characters designate like parts in the several views, Figure l, is a front elevation of a sign-board embodying our invention; Fig. 2, a section on line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4:, a perspective view of the exhibition box.

Referring now to the drawings, the reference character 10- designates a signboard which may be of any desired -'or suit- I Specification of Letters Patent.

bordered with a molding Patented May 14, 1918.

with a sightopening -11- whichmay be 12 and closed by -a pane of glass to give it the a pearance of a picture frame. In the rear 0 the signboard and spaced a suitable distance therefrom 1s a dark chamber 13 provided with an opening -14-- which registers with the openmg 11 in the sign-board. The intervemng space 15 between the sign board and the chamber is bridged by inclined boards 16 makin a light ti ht connection. Withinthe chamdier an exhfiiition box 17 is suspended in such a manner that its angle of inclination to the signboard may be varied. As illustrated the mode of suspension comprises hooks --18- secured to the front wall of the chamber and pins 19- extended laterally from the u per forward corners of the box. Any suitable means of retaining the box in adjusted position may be employed, the means illus trated comprising a hook 20 dependin from the top of the chamber and adapte to be engaged in a selected erforation in a plate 21 secured on the ox; The box is substantially quadrangular in shape and light tight; it has a frontal opening 22 which extends from the top of the box to within a spaced distance of the bottom, and is so hung that the opening 22 coincides with the. openings. 11 and 14. Reflectors 23, 24 which may be of any suitable pattern are disposed across the box in the lower rear corner thereof, and are respectively adapted to direct rays of light from are led to a suitable device 33 known as a diiiimer, which is adapted to control the lamps in the respective circuits turning them oif or on, and increasing or diminishing their luminosity as occasion requires.

Dimmers constitute mechanism well known in the art pertaining toillumination and need not be described in detail. Suffl positioned upon a shaft, one for each circuit, each disk having peripheral conducting and non-conducting sections upon which contact springs bear, the sections being rearranged in such relationship as to pro uce the desired lighting effect. tions may be arranged to introduce a resistance into the circuit to dim the light before extinguishing the same. A pictorial representation --36- (Fig. 1) is placed on the rear wall of the box. As illustrated this the presentation on the back. As illustrated the picture on the bottom is that of a house, or home 37- with the caption The home you may buy. This picture being on the bottom of the box, cannot be viewed, by direct vision from the front of the sign, but when illuminated, by the lamps 26 and 34, the rays of light pro ected upward from the picture will be intercepted by a pane of clear glass 38 disposed at an angle of 45 degrees, and be reflected forward thereby in the same plane as the light rays from the picture on the back of the box. If one picture be illuminated while the other is not, the one illuminated will ap ear to an observer as if on the back of t e box. If the light be gradually dimmed and at the same time the other picture be gradually illuminated, the one will appear to fade away while the other mysteriously appears in its place. If both pictures are illuminated at the same time, they will appear to an observer as if superimposed on the back of the box. In the example illustrated the upper picture is illuminated for say three seconds, thus displaying the handful of rent receipts. Then during a period of say six seconds, the light is gradually diminished and then extinguished leaving the picture dark and invisible, the rent receipts seeming to dissolve and fade away. At the same time the light is gradually-turned on the lower picture and the house appears to grow, gather substance and finally supplant the rent receipts. The house is displayed for a period of say fifteen seconds and the light then turned off leaving the box dark. After a period of say thirty seconds the lights are again turned on the upper picture and the foregoing cycle repeated. It is to be observed that the use of rent receipts and a house is merely illustrative as any desired The conducting secor suitable subject may be utilized. If a pictorial representation of an object at rest, say a horse standing on its four feet, be placed on the back, and a picture of the same object in a different position say reared up on its hind feet, be placed on the bottom of the box, and the pictures illuminated a1- ternately, at intervals of say one half second, Without any interval of darkness, the object will present the appearance of continuous motion. The device as described may be best displayed at night when an observer can'see the interior of the box only by interior illumination. Diffusion of daylight through the sight openings renders the pictorial representations pale and ineflicient; consequently a shade or curtain 39- is provided which is adapted to be drawn down so as to close the sight opening during the day, the shade bearing a replica of the main figure of the interior presentation. The exhibition box may be constructed of any suitable material and in any manner suited to its use. As illustrated it comprises end frames 40-, said end frames consisting of main vertical members 41, 41-, main horizontal members 43, 44-, secondary vertical and horizontal members 45, 46- and diagonal brace members 47-. The top 48, bottom 49, back 50 and the lower portion -5l-.of the front of the box are transversely sheathed with tongue and grooved boards. Each endof the box is closed by. two groups of boards 52, 53- which extend respectively from the lower and rear edges of the frame 40, on the inner side thereof to within a spaced distance of thecenter of the diagonal braces 47, thereby forming grooves, or slots .-54 adapted to receive the pane of glass 38, the lower edge of which rests upon a transverse beam- 55- (see Fig.2). The reflectors 23, 24 and associated lamps 25, 26 are arranged as a unitary structure and are adapted to be removably attached to the box in the corner thereof between the members 42 and 44 by suitable means such as screws 56. When the unitary reflector structure' is removed, a board or tray 58 which lies on the bottom of the box, may be withdrawn for the purpose of changing the picture or other object thereon. The back 50 is detachably secured to the frame 40 by suit-able means such as screws whereby it may be removed to change the picture carried thereby.

Having thus described our invention so that anyone skilled in the art pertaining thereto may make and use the same,

We claim:

1. In apparatus as characterized, a dark chamber having an opening in a wall thereof, a box within said chamber, hooks positioned on the wall of the chamber above the said opening, means extended from the forward portion of said box and adapted to be engaged in said hooks, and means extended from a wall of the chamber and adapted to be adjustably engaiged with the rear of the box to hold it at di erent angles to the open- 111 e g In apparatus as characterized, a dark chamber, an exhibition box, said chamber and box having alined sight openings, a

transparent reflecting medium suitably p0- sitioned within the box, a reflector removably positioned in a corner of the box, and means for adjusting the box'at an angle to the sight opening in the chamber.

3. In apparatus as characterized, a chamber having a frontal sight opening, a light tight exhibition box suspended Within said chamber, said box having an opening in alinement with the frontal opening in the chamber, a transverse beam within the box in proxumty to a rear corner thereof, a pane of glass extended from said beam to the corner of the box opposite thereto, a removable back on the box, a removable tray withm the box, said back and tray adapted to carry ob ects to be exhibited, illuminatin means removably positioned in the rear 0 the transverse beam said illuminating means comprising a double faced reflector adapted to reflect light respectively on the back and tray and means foralternately illuminating the back and tray.

JAMES L. GRIBBLE. GUY L. WI LLETT.- Witness:

JOHN T. 

